Enrollment
573
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Palmdale, CA
Buena Vista Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Buena Vista Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062958009606
👥 S:T ratio 15
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 3
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Buena Vista Elementary earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #15 of 31
- elementary schools in Palmdale · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.2:1
- students per teacher
- 71.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Buena Vista Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Buena Vista Elementary ranks #15 of 31 elementary schools in Palmdale, CA.
School address
District: Palmdale Elementary · California
NCES ID 062958009606 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.2:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
71.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
+28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Buena Vista Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Buena Vista Elementary
Buena Vista Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Palmdale, California, enrolling 573 students.
At 21.2:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 71.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 573 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 2,140 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #645.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (79%) and African American (12%) (diversity index 35/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Palmdale's elementary schools, it stands alongside Los Amigos - Dual Immersion (1,027 students): Buena Vista Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.2:1 vs 28.5:1).
Palmdale Elementary also operates Los Amigos - Dual Immersion (1,027 students) and Palmdale Academy Charter (989 students) alongside Buena Vista Elementary.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Buena Vista Elementary compares
Buena Vista Elementary on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.2:1 | ▼ 1% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 71.3% | ▲ 28% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 573 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.2:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
573
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
71.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.2:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 45% in California - lower ratio than 55% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
38.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$16,847
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 29 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 79.4%
African American 12.4%
White 5.1%
Two or More 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 79.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 35.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 35.1, Buena Vista Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Palmdale Elementary, which includes Buena Vista Elementary.
$16,847
Per student
+2%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+2%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 11.4%
State 70.2%
Federal 18.4%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Buena Vista Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Amigos - Dual Immersion | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Palmdale Academy Charter | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| David G. Millen Law and Government Magnet Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Desert Willow Fine Arts Sci and Tech Magnet Acad | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dos Caminos Dual Immersion | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Buena Vista Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,027
- Students per teacher
- 28.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 989
- Students per teacher
- 39.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 952
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 948
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 945
- Students per teacher
- 27:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar elementary schools in Palmdale
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Los Amigos - Dual Immersion
Alternative education program
1,027 students 28.5:1 students per teacher
Esperanza Elementary
Standard public school
962 students 26.7:1 students per teacher
Dos Caminos Dual Immersion
Alternative education program
945 students 27:1 students per teacher
Gregg Anderson Academy
Standard public school
893 students 27.9:1 students per teacher
Rancho Vista Elementary
Standard public school
886 students 26.8:1 students per teacher
Palmdale Learning Plaza
Standard public school
800 students 22.9:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~573 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Buena Vista Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Buena Vista Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Palmdale Elementary's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Buena Vista Elementary
How many students attend Buena Vista Elementary?
Buena Vista Elementary has 573 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Palmdale, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Buena Vista Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Buena Vista Elementary is 21.2:1, which is 1% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 35% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Buena Vista Elementary?
71.3% of students at Buena Vista Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Buena Vista Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Buena Vista Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 79.4% of enrollment, in Palmdale, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Buena Vista Elementary?
Buena Vista Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Buena Vista Elementary rank among elementary schools in Palmdale?
By Resource Investment Index, Buena Vista Elementary ranks #15 of 31 elementary schools in Palmdale, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Palmdale on the city page.
Is Buena Vista Elementary a good school?
Buena Vista Elementary earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Palmdale Elementary?
Besides Buena Vista Elementary, Palmdale Elementary also operates Los Amigos - Dual Immersion (1,027 students), Palmdale Academy Charter (989 students), and David G. Millen Law and Government Magnet Academy (952 students). See the Palmdale Elementary district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.